I like the idea of allowing super league season ticket holders in to matches, paying the extra for the privalige might mean they turn up, although any kind of increase could reduce the number of season tickets sold in the current economic state, also I can't see the Hull clubs fans paying extra, and not having a Championship side close by.

I think you may have misunderstood - it would be an 'optional extra' rather than a mandatory charge on SL season tickets.

I think you may have misunderstood - it would be an 'optional extra' rather than a mandatory charge on SL season tickets.

I think thats a great idea, would have to be a lot less than the £100 suggested though to have any mass appeal, given that a Super League season ticket is in the region of £150 to £200.

Say if it was £25, not massive I know, but they might win on the day as on a Sunday afternoon the wife and nipper would happily join me and pay on the gate were as they don't make Friday night games so don't bother with season tickets.

I also like the idea of Super League "Under 20's" or A teams what ever you want to call them competing, would allow for the league to be stretched out a little with some quality and reliable teams in there, would aid player development and I can't warm to the duel registration that goes on so would remove the need for that.

As a long time fan of a lower league team my biggest gripes are 1. the fixture list, 2. the NR Cup 3. Marketing of the game below SL level and 4. a better redistribution of wealth amongst ALL clubs.

The fixture list for the past 3 seasons especially for C1 sides has been diabolical with long gaps between home matches for many clubs. As a keen fan of my club I know when the next home match is and know that I will be there. However, many fans mainly young family fans miss so mnay weekends that they do other things at weekends and then the family and kids don't want parents to go to matches next time they would rather be at the beach, etc, etc. Last year and again this year I wrote e-mails and letters to the RFL about this fixture structure and I am still awaiting a response from anyone at Red Hall. That attitude says to me that they couldn't care less, I may be wrong, but that's how it comes over.

The NR Cup may be good for top Championship clubs but for the lower end teams of that league and all the C1 teams it is nothing more than a series of friendly matches where coaches try out different players before the league season starts. Not one C1 club has, or ever will as I see it, reached a final. Fans are not that silly and they don't bother attending these matches in much the same way as SL club fans don't bother Challenge Cup games with lower league opposition. Then when we get to the quarter finals, semi finals, etc, every team has a weekend off because 8 teams and 4 teams are playing in those rounds. Last year to try to get more fans to go to the final they introduced the Nines competition but true to form the comp was played off on the Saturday and the final on the Sunday. Last year they had the 9's semis and final on the Sunday which probably attracted some fans to attend both but in general the 9's is nothing more than a mid-season "jolly" that many clubs didn't want at this time of the season. I question what benefit it accrues for Championship and Championship 1 clubs financially.

As others have made comment marketing of the game below SL is poor and it needs a dedicated person/group at the RFL to take on board this as a separate department to SL. Sky could do a lot more to promote the lower leagues like they do with weekly magazines for the Premiership and the Football League clubs.

I don't know the full amounts that do get passed down from Red Hall to lower league clubs but anything other than money for certain positions to be filled seems to be very small in comparison to what goes to SL clubs. Despite the very poor fixture list and clubs only having 10 home games per season the RFL expect these clubs to not only maintain but also improve their grounds as well as put teams out on the field, etc, and then wonder why some have financial problems.

I remember when .............................

"It is impossible not to feel a twinge of sympathy for Workington Town, the fall guys this season for the Super League's determination to retain it's European dimension, in the shape of Paris. While the French have had every assistance to survive, the importance of having a flagship in a heartland area like West Cumbria has been conveniently forgotten." - Dave Hadfield - Independent 25th August 1996.

As a long time fan of a lower league team my biggest gripes are 1. the fixture list, 2. the NR Cup 3. Marketing of the game below SL level and 4. a better redistribution of wealth amongst ALL clubs.

The fixture list for the past 3 seasons especially for C1 sides has been diabolical with long gaps between home matches for many clubs. As a keen fan of my club I know when the next home match is and know that I will be there. However, many fans mainly young family fans miss so mnay weekends that they do other things at weekends and then the family and kids don't want parents to go to matches next time they would rather be at the beach, etc, etc. Last year and again this year I wrote e-mails and letters to the RFL about this fixture structure and I am still awaiting a response from anyone at Red Hall. That attitude says to me that they couldn't care less, I may be wrong, but that's how it comes over.

The NR Cup may be good for top Championship clubs but for the lower end teams of that league and all the C1 teams it is nothing more than a series of friendly matches where coaches try out different players before the league season starts. Not one C1 club has, or ever will as I see it, reached a final. Fans are not that silly and they don't bother attending these matches in much the same way as SL club fans don't bother Challenge Cup games with lower league opposition. Then when we get to the quarter finals, semi finals, etc, every team has a weekend off because 8 teams and 4 teams are playing in those rounds. Last year to try to get more fans to go to the final they introduced the Nines competition but true to form the comp was played off on the Saturday and the final on the Sunday. Last year they had the 9's semis and final on the Sunday which probably attracted some fans to attend both but in general the 9's is nothing more than a mid-season "jolly" that many clubs didn't want at this time of the season. I question what benefit it accrues for Championship and Championship 1 clubs financially.

As others have made comment marketing of the game below SL is poor and it needs a dedicated person/group at the RFL to take on board this as a separate department to SL. Sky could do a lot more to promote the lower leagues like they do with weekly magazines for the Premiership and the Football League clubs.

I don't know the full amounts that do get passed down from Red Hall to lower league clubs but anything other than money for certain positions to be filled seems to be very small in comparison to what goes to SL clubs. Despite the very poor fixture list and clubs only having 10 home games per season the RFL expect these clubs to not only maintain but also improve their grounds as well as put teams out on the field, etc, and then wonder why some have financial problems.

They need to restructure the game and that needs a NCL switch over from winter. Though in the short term surely playing each other thrice would be much better than what we have now (or something along those lines)

1- Home game followed by an Away game should not be too hard to sort. The way things are at the moment is a joke. CC1 clubs going 5 or 6 weeks without a home game is stupid! Admittedly some clubs may ask for a break of 3 weeks or so for reseeding etc.

2- The Points System for all Leagues (Academy, Championship, SL) to be the same. Either all have the bonus point system or not at all!

3- Both SL and Championship clubs to have the same rules regarding Overseas Players. Maybe a Rule saying there must be 14 EU born players(British and French) in a starting 17. Not sure if that breaks any EU rules. Maybe the French/Welsh are set at 12 EU born Players.

4- No Changing of TV Dates after 5 weeks before the original schedule. Changing games to a Thursday 2 weeks before the planned game is ridiculous and some fans have spent money on a Hotel or changed plans to spend a weekend up in Cumbria for example.

5- Somebody to be appointed FT to help the Championship teams. Maybe they need help with Marketing or advice on something legally etc. Looking at ways to make extra money and promote a Club in an area etc.

6- Bring back P & R to SL. A team however must meet standards to get promoted- i.e Not having made a loss in the last 2 years, Have an Academy, Have a 10,000 Stadium. They are exempt from Relegation for 1 year.

7- With 22 Clubs in the Championship you still need a cup of some sort, as you cant have 1 League and a League of 11 is not enough games.Clubs need more fixtures in my opinion.

8- Maybe to make the Challenge Cup a bit more exciting bring in a Handicap so say Wigan who finished first in SL the previous year started on 0 and if say Gateshead finished last they would be on Plus 36. Would add a bit of excitement to the Cup. Maybe some people feel that is not in the spirit of the challenge cup though.

1- Home game followed by an Away game should not be too hard to sort. The way things are at the moment is a joke. CC1 clubs going 5 or 6 weeks without a home game is stupid! Admittedly some clubs may ask for a break of 3 weeks or so for reseeding etc.

It's actually 100% impossible for everyone to have alternating home and away games (think about it- how would 2 teams who play at home in odd weeks play each other), but no team should be away more than 2 rounds in a row without requesting it, hard when you've got bye weeks though.

I am not a fan of a club in either comp at the moment but expect to be (again) one day.Of the suggestions made initially the one that matters is the appointment of a CEO to run RL at that level. When it becomes someone's job to make a success of it then success has a chance of happening.Such a role would not stand for the rubbish fixture scheduling, the destructive nature of P & R between the leagues and the inadequacy of the centralised functions.It is clear that RL at that level is not focused on supporting clubs to be successful or even to make a living.

Given the fixture list issues, is there an optimum size for each division, optimum nmber of fixtures or structure that would help this to work?

Even number of teams, minimum 12, ideally for me 14, although if it was 16 or even 18 I would do what the NRL does and fix the number of league games at 24. Home and away is better but not 100% necessary.